Anonymous hacks call between FBI and Scotland Yard

Feb 3, 2012, 18:01 GMT

San Francisco - International hacking ring Anonymous recently hacked into a call between the FBI and Scotland Yard, posting the results online Friday in an embarrassment to the British and US law enforcement agencies.

The FBI confirmed the intrusion and said that it had launched a criminal investigation.

The information was intended for law enforcement officers only and was 'illegally obtained,' said an FBI spokesman. 'A criminal investigation is under way to identify and hold accountable those responsible.'

The spokesperson stressed that FBI computer systems were not breached as part of this incident.

The 17-minute call, opened with US and British agents discussing plans to attend a cyber security conference in Sheffield, England and then discussing a hacker plot called Project Mayhem. Officers could also be heard discussing the case of a 15-year-old hacker who was arrested in the UK, as well as other individuals currently facing charges of hacking into British police computers.

Anonymous was apparently able to eavesdrop on the call because it hacked into an investigator's emails giving instructions on accessing the conference call.

'A conference call is planned for next Tuesday (January 17, 2012) to discuss the on-going investigations related to Anonymous, Lulzsec, Antisec, and other associated splinter groups,' said the email which was posted online by the hacker group. The email was apparently sent to 40 law enforcement officials in the UK, US, France, Ireland, Sweden and the Netherlands.

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